Post-Secondary Honors Academy
POST-SECONDARY HONORS ACADEMY PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Fall semester, 2002, marked the very beginning of the Post-Secondary Honors Academy (PSHA) at The University of Akron. The first class consisted of seven men and women from the surrounding school districts. As the program continues to develop, we would like to strive for an enrollment of up to fifteen students, keeping the program relatively small in order to foster group interaction among the students who are chosen for this program. The academy experience is for students who would normally be completing their senior year of high school, although exceptional juniors will be considered.
The curriculum for PSHA students includes some flexibility and some requirements. Perhaps most important is that students in the academy commit to take the majority of their courses at The University of Akron. With the help of the PSHA coordinator and academic advisors, those students in the academy who are planning to take the same course are encouraged to register for a class at the same time so as to build friendships and peer support among students in the program. One major advantage of the Post Secondary Honors Academy is that PSHA students are given the benefit of registering for their courses before all other post-secondary students ensuring that they will be able to enroll in their first choice of classes. Students are encouraged to enroll in honors sections of courses they plan to take. Students may also enroll in elective academic subjects (for a total of twelve to fourteen credits) in their areas of interest.
In addition to taking most of their courses at UA, students in this program are given the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities at the university as well. Permission for participation is required to help support the success of post-secondary students at The University of Akron, and PSHA students may not participate in athletics, speech and debate, or in social fraternities or sororities.
Another benefit of the Post-Secondary Honors Academy is that PSHA students are given 24 hour access to the academic wing of the Honors Complex at The University of Akron. The academic wing includes the 24-hour Honors Computer Lab, the large two-story Honors Common Room, three seminar classrooms, and one large classroom.
The Honors College sponsors the academy, and a graduate student enrolled in the College of Education serves as a mentor and coordinator for the academy. This individual is accessible to students in the program and has an office in the Honors Complex. The coordinator of the PSHA arranges activities to provide a sense of community for PSHA participants. These activities may include lunchtime meetings of the students in the academy, bowling in the Student Union, tours of campus facilities, or special lectures from UA or visiting faculty members. Prior to the beginning of each school year an introductory meeting will take place for students to become familiar with the expectations of the program. In addition, a banquet will take place at the close of each academic school year.
POST-SECONDARY HONORS ACADEMY APPLICATION PROCESS
The Post-Secondary Honors Academy welcomes applications from all self-challenging, highly motivated, and high achieving learners who have demonstrated their abilities to excel. Students should satisfy at least two of the following three criteria in order to be invited to join the Academy:
- Current high school cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.50;
- High school class rank among the highest 10 percent;
- ACT composite score of at least 27 or SAT combined score in the top 10 percent.
In addition to satisfying two of three of the above criterion, minimum values in the third category must be at least: ( i.) 3.25 or above cumulative grade-point average, (ii.) high school class rank among the highest 20 percent, (iii.) 24 ACT composite or comparable SAT combined score.
To clarify your qualifications or to check on your Post-Secondary Honors Academy application, please contact the Honors College by phone at 330-972-8430 or by e-mail at honorsga1@uakron.edu.
The deadlines for Post-Secondary Honors Academy applications are July 31 for the fall and December 31 for the spring, although The University of Akron’s standard post-secondary application must be submitted by May 15 for the fall and October 15 for the spring.
HOW TO APPLY
- Complete The University of Akron’s standard post-secondary application. This application can be obtained online at www.uakron.edu/admissions/postSecondary.php, however, hard copies of applications can be requested by calling the Office of Admissions at 330-972-7077 or 1-800-655-4884 or by writing the Office of Admissions:
The Office of Admissions
The University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-2001
Make certain to fill out all sides of the application and obtain all required signatures. You must pay an application fee and submit a high school transcript and ACT and/or SAT scores. Check the box for, “Postsecondary Enrollment Options Program” on the standard applications
2. Submit a typed Post-Secondary Honors Academy application form. You can download a Microsoft Word Version of this form or you can request to have an application form emailed to you by calling the Honors College at 330-972-8430, emailing the PSHA Coordinator at honorsga1@uakron.edu, or by writing the Honors College:
Honors College
The University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-1803
3. Write and submit an essay of at least five hundred words on the following topic: Discuss anything you wish you understood better than you do now. As tempted as you may be, do not choose “the college admissions process.”
4. Obtain the recommendation of at least one teacher or administrator and have that individual(s) complete and submit a UA-PSHA Recommendation Form. You can download a Microsoft Word Version of this form. The teacher/administrator recommendation form may be also be obtained by calling the Honors College at 330-972-8430, emailing the PSHA Coordinator at honorsga1@uakron.edu, or by writing the honors college at the address listed above.
Fall Deadline:
The fall semester deadline for Post-Secondary Honors Academy applications is July 31 although the general post-secondary program deadline that is much earlier must also be observed.
Please send the PSHA application and letter of recommendation to:
UA Post-Secondary Honors Academy, c/o Honors College, The University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325-1803.
